THE ADIRONDACKS, airs Wednesday, May 14 at 9:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
Sprawled across six million acres in upstate New York, the Adirondack Park is by far the largest park in the lower 48 states. Yet it is the only one on the continent in which large human populations live and whose land is divided almost evenly between protected wilderness and privately owned tracts. This patchwork pattern of land ownership has created an utterly unique place that maintains, at its very heart, a delicate and dynamic relationship between progress and preservation. Through the varied perspectives of several passionate characters, this high-definition program explores the remarkable history, seasonal landscape and current state of the Adirondacks.
Masterpiece Mystery, which premieres with the a new title, as part of the three headed, reinvented Masterpiece (formerly Masterpiece Theatre), joining Masterpiece Classic and Masterpiece Contemporary, today announced the program's new host, Alan Cumming. Look for him and Masterpiece Mystery on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami later this summer.
NOVA: A Walk to Beautiful, airs Tuesday, May 13 at 8:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
This program tells the story of three women in Ethiopia suffering from devastating childbirth injuries. Rejected by their husbands and ostracized by their communities, the women are left to spend the rest of their lives in loneliness and shame. NOVA follows each of them on their journey to a special hospital in Addis Ababa, where they find solace for the first time in years, and stays with them as their lives begin to change. The trials they endure and their attempts to rebuild their lives tell a universal story of hope, courage and transformation.
A new and revised version of the classic PBS series, The Electric Company is coming soon. It promises to be a little hipper, more contemporary and provide just as much fun and learning.
You can read about it in today's New York Times, click here.
GREAT PERFORMANCES: The Israel Philharmonic 70th Anniversary Gala Concert, encores on Sunday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami, in honor of the 60th Anniversary of Israel.
Founded in 1936 by Polish violinist and Zionist Bronislaw Huberman, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra — known at that time as the Palestine Orchestra — was established to save Jewish musicians in Europe from the imminent Holocaust. Consistently ranked among the world's leading orchestras, the Israel Philharmonic boasts a long list of accomplished composers, conductors and guest soloists who have contributed to its rich history and critical acclaim. In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the orchestra's founding, GREAT PERFORMANCES travels to Tel Aviv, Israel, to take part in a gala concert paying tribute to the social significance and musical pedigree of this esteemed organization. Under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta — given the title Music Director for Life in 1981 — the IPO gala features Maurice Ravel's “La Valse,” Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 with guest soloist and longtime friend of the IPO Pinchas Zukerman and Brahms' D Minor Piano Concerto No. 1 with pianist Daniel Barenboim.
If you'd like to see how South Florida celebrated Israel's 60th, click here on uVu.
FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest, airs Tuesday, May 13 at 9:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami. Watch a preview clip here
As darkness fell on May 10, 1996, a fast-moving storm of unimaginable ferocity trapped three climbing teams high on the slopes of Mount Everest. The climbers, exhausted from their summit climb, were soon lost in darkness, in a fierce blizzard, far from the safety of high camp at 26,000 feet. World-renowned climber and filmmaker David Breashears returns to Everest to tell the story of the climbers who perished in that storm, marking the worst climbing tragedy in Mount Everest's history. More remarkably, it is the story of 11 climbers caught in the storm and the eyewitness accounts of their astonishing survival in the world's most unforgiving environment.
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER PRESENTS CAMELOT PERFORMED BY THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Lerner & Loewe’s beloved musical from 1960 will star Gabriel Bryne, Marin Mazzie, Nathan Gunn, Fran Drescher, Christopher Lloyd, and Marc Kudisch
Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
Live From Lincoln Center will telecast the New York Philharmonic’s production of Camelot, the celebrated musical with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The PBS broadcast, one of the five semi-staged performances of the musical running May 7-10 in Avery Fisher Hall, will star Gabriel Byrne (King Arthur) recently seen in HBO’s In Treatment; Marin Mazzie (Guenevere), Tony nominated for her role in Kiss Me Kate; Nathan Gunn (Sir Lancelot), Metropolitan Opera baritone; Fran Drescher (Morgan le Fey), Emmy Award-winning actress, best known for her role in The Nanny; Christopher Lloyd (Pellinore), stage and film actor who appeared in the Back to the Future trilogy; and Marc Kudisch (Lionel), Tony nominated for Thoroughly Modern Millie on Broadway. Camelot will be directed for stage and television by Lonny Price. Price also directed Live From Lincoln Center’s Emmy-winning broadcast of Passion with Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald, among his many credits. The conductor will be Paul Gemignani, most recently the conductor for the film, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street starring Johnny Depp; the producer is Thomas Z. Shepard.
SECRETS OF THE DEAD: Doping for Gold, airs Wednesday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
In the 1970s, female East German athletes came out of nowhere to dominate international sport. But behind their success lay a secret, state-sponsored doping program that distributed untested steroids and male hormones to athletes as young as 12. Many of these girls had no knowledge that they were being doped, and now, as grown women (and men), their broken bodies and damaged psyches bear witness to the cruelty of a government that pursued international glory and gold at the expense of its most acclaimed citizens. “Doping for Gold” digs deep into the secretive Cold War world of East German athletes, examining what drugs were used, how they were distributed and what damage they did to many of the athletes who were forced to take them. The result creates a timely perspective on today’s many doping scandals and reveals the truth behind the biggest and most horrifying state-sponsored doping program the world has ever known.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: George H.W. Bush, airs Monday, May 5 (pt.1) and Tuesday, May 6 (pt.2) at 9:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
The latest in the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE series of award-winning and critically acclaimed presidential portraits, this two-part biography examines the life and career of the 41st president, from his service in World War II and his early career in Texas to his days in the Oval Office, first as vice president to Ronald Reagan, then as the leader who presided over the first Gulf War. Drawing upon Bush’s personal diaries and interviews with his closest advisors, the film also explores Bush’s role as the patriarch of a political family whose influence resonates in modern American life.
The original, highly-acclaimed series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Jeremy Brett and David Burke as Holmes and Watson, returns to WPBT/Channel 2 beginning this Sunday. Brett’s Sherlock Holmes is considered by many to be the definitive portrayal of the master sleuth. This is a most satisfying series for viewers hungry for first-rate drama and mystery. Thirteen of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original short stories are brought to life in this triumph of television drama. The first episode, which airs Sunday, May 4 at 9:00 p.m. is The Dancing Men. Holmes and Watson unravel the mystery of the 'dancing men' and apprehend the man who has been threatening Mrs Cubitt. But will they be in time to prevent her attempted suicide and catch the person behind Mr Cubitt's tragic murder?
Superfish airs Sunday, May 4 at 8:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami. Watch some clips on uVu. They slice through the water’s surface with explosive power — sail, spear and half a ton of muscle flashing in the sun. Their journeys through the open ocean are epic, their life cycle, bizarre. They are the billfish — marlin, sailfish, spearfish and swordfish — largest and most highly prized of all gamefish. Their astonishing story has never been fully told. Emmy award-winning filmmaker and biologist Rick Rosenthal brings a lifetime of experience with these astonishing sea creatures to the screen as he observes tiny billfish nurseries in the wild, dives deep into secret undersea canyons, films incredible color-changing behavior and embarks on a quest for an elusive thousand-pound “grander.”
With good notices, Gabe Kaplan has brought the biographical play GROUCHO! to the Broward Stage Door Theatre for the next few weeks. For those who want to see and hear the "real" thing, WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami offers up the following program on Thursday, May 1 at 8:00 p.m.
HERE HE IS ... THE ONE, THE ONLY ... GROUCHO is a glimpse at the life and career of one of the most iconic comedians of all time, Groucho Marx. His restless eyebrows, loping walk and ever-present cigar were only props. But his unique humor and wit, combined with a deadpan rat-a-tat-tat delivery, made Groucho an American treasure. Narrated by David Steinberg, this special includes warm tributes and candid recollections offered by Art Linkletter, Dick Cavett, Jack Lemmon, Marvin Hamlisch and other professional colleagues. George Fenneman, the announcer and straight man on You Bet Your Life, reminisces about Groucho's ability to twist the contestants' answers into a comedy routine, while Groucho's daughter Miriam shares insights into her father's often turbulent personal life.
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL TO AIR FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW WITH REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT SINCE CONTROVERSY
The Reverend Jeremiah Wright will be interviewed on WPBT tonight by Bill Moyers in his first broadcast interview with a journalist since he became embroiled in a controversy for his remarks and his relationship with Barack Obama.
Wright, who retired in early 2008 as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Senator Obama is a member, has been at the center of controversy for comments he made during sermons, which surfaced in the press in March.
NATURE: Penguins of the Antarctic, airs Sunday, April 27 at 8:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami Emperors and kings, chinstraps and adelies - the penguins of Antarctica all make their home in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. Their life has always been a constant struggle to survive, but their biggest challenge is yet to come. As the climate changes, long-established territories are being invaded and traditional nesting colonies are being disrupted. How will these extraordinary birds deal with the full effects of global warming? Watch previews on uVu.
SECRETS OF THE DEAD: Aztec Massacre airs Wednesday, April 23 at 8:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
Throughout recent times, historians have believed that when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Aztec territory in the 15th century, they were welcomed as returning light-skinned gods by the Aztecs, who put up little resistance to their conquest. But now, a new find outside of Mexico City is turning history on its head. The discovery: more than 400 bodies, many of which show signs of having been mutilated and even eaten. More important, more than 40 of the bodies appear to be European, indicating that the Aztecs not only resisted the invaders, they sacrificed them to their gods, pulling their still-beating hearts from chests and stringing their heads (along with the heads of their horses) on wooden skull racks for public display. Exploring the archeology of the site, the forensics of the bones and beautiful but grotesque codices that document the events, this program paints a new picture of the violent relations between the Aztecs and the conquistadors and rewrites much of what we thought we knew about the Aztec civilization.
Channel 2 celebrates Earth Day (Tuesday, April 22) with an evening of programs about the environment:
NOVA at 8:00 p.m.
Car of the Future How will the car of the future be powered? Will it run on hydrogen, batteries, ethanol or some as-yet undiscovered technology? Find out as NOVA takes a look at the latest and greatest in the automotive industry. Tom and Ray Magliozzi of NPR’s “Car Talk” fame take viewers on a roller-coaster ride into the world of cars — examining new technologies and ideas about America’s most common form of transportation. With constantly increasing prices at the pump and a growing concern about the impact of emissions on global warming, there is a keen interest in alternative fuel sources to power our cars. The hydrogen fuel cell has long been the holy grail of zero emissions energy, and countries like Iceland are trying out the technology by transforming their public transportation. Closer to home, there are attempts to create fuels like “biodiesel” — made of used vegetable oil — or ethanol from corn crops. Will these be our future fuels or just a useful intermediate? Can an all-electric sports car being developed in California change the face of driving for good? With in-depth interviews and the unique humor of the much-loved Magliozzi brothers, “Car of the Future” takes a light-hearted but knowledgeable look at the serious issue of what’s to come for our transportation.
A firsthand look at the upcoming PBS documentary series CARRIER, which follows a core group of film participants aboard the USS Nimitz, from the admiral of the strike group to the fighter pilots to the youngest sailors, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror. PBS PREVIEWS: CARRIER includes behind-the-scenes footage and additional commentary to set the stage for a dramatic voyage for the sailors and officers aboard. CARRIER premieres Sunday, April 27-Thursday, May 1, 2008, 9:00-11:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami. See the PREVIEW video here or watch selected clips on uVu by clicking here.
Caring for Your Parents Premieres on WPBT/Channel2 in Miami on April 2, 2008 at 9 p.m.
As the population ages, many adult children are grappling with an unprecedented social, cultural, economic, and personal revolution as they transition into the primary caregiver role for their aging parents. Produced, written, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Michael Kirk, Caring for Your Parents is a moving two-hour special that draws much-needed attention to this universal reality.
The first 90-minutes of Caring for Your Parents underscores today's struggle to keep parents at home, tensions between siblings, and the complexity of shifting caregiver roles through an intimate look at five American families. In the end, the documentary contends successful caregiving requires one primary ingredient—love.
Immediately after the 90-minute broadcast, former NBC medical correspondent Dr. Art Ulene leads "A Conversation About Caring." This half-hour panel discussion offers concrete advice and guidance on how to start the conversation—often the most difficult step in caregiving.
GREAT PERFORMANCES
Peter & the Wolf (airs Wednesday, March 26 at 8 p.m.)
Sergei Prokofiev’s fanciful musical tale Peter and the Wolf is given
new life in this innovative animated interpretation. “Oldies will
remember the work from school music lessons,” wrote London’s Observer ,
“while those coming to the story for the first time will be delighted
with this darkly comic modernization.” Originally composed in 1936, the
piece famously uses personified instruments in the orchestra to tell
the story — also penned by the composer — of young Peter and his animal
friends the Duck, the Bird and even a mischievous Cat (represented by
an oboe, flute and clarinet, respectively). Peter, himself represented
by the string section, becomes an unsuspecting hero and frees his small
Russian village from the Wolf (French horns) intent on menacing the
whole town — not to mention Peter’s beloved animal friends. Conceived
and directed by award-winning animator Suzie Templeton, this modern-day
“Peter and the Wolf” uses stop-frame model animation, puppets and
digital photography to re-tell this enduring classic, and features the
Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Mark Stephenson
performing Prokofiev’s iconic score.
FRONTLINE: Bush's Warairs Monday March 24 (part 1) and Tuesday, March 25 (part 2) at 9:00 p.m. each night on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
9/11 and Al Qaeda, Afghanistan and Iraq, WMD and the Insurgency, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, Fallujah and the Surge. For six years, FRONTLINE has been revealing those stories in meticulous detail, and the political dramas played out at the highest levels — George W. Bush and Tony Blair, Dick Cheney and Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice, Osama Bin Laden.
Bill Moyers interviews former talk show host Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro on the true cost of war and their documentary, Body of War, depicting the moving story of one veteran dealing with the aftermath of war. With extensive excerpts from the film, the filmmakers talk about Iraq war veteran Tomas Young who was shot and paralyzed less than a week into his tour of duty. Three years in the making, Body of War tells the poignant tale of the young man's journey from joining the service after 9/11 to fight in Afghanistan, to living with devastating wounds after being deployed to Iraq instead. You can see the program on Friday night at 9 pm on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami. See a clip on uVu
As many callers and writers have noted, we are having a problem with the BBC News at 5:30pm on weekdays. WPBT has been running the BBC News at 6am, 5:30pm and midnight for many years. The 6am and midnight "feeds" of the News come to us via a PBS satellite, but the 5:30pm program comes to us through a special satellite feed, we are one of only a few stations in the country that offer the BBC News at an irregular time and that required a special receiver with a code provided directly from the BBC in order to decipher the video signal. Well, our receiver took a hit and required replacement, which we have completed, but we have not been able to get a new access code from the BBC yet. We are working with the distributor and the BBC to fix this problem. Again the other two daily broadcasts are not impacted and it isn't our plan to eliminate the 5:30pm news, we hope to have the situation resolved shortly.
Let the History Detectives solve your mystery! The History Detectives are looking for a few good people to tell them about an object that you think may have played a staring role, or was just along for the ride, among American history’s newsworthy people, places or events: blackouts or boycotts, inaugurations or integration, pop art or pop culture, Hollywood or the Hindenburg, Joe Frasier or Joe DiMaggio, the Golden Spike or the Golden Gate, and so on!
What kind of object can you submit? ANYTHING you can take a picture of: dentures, recipes, clothing, cameras, machinery, quilts, blueprints, baseballs, headdresses, religious artifacts, skeletons, furniture, timepieces, stamps, recordings … you name it! Here are some investigated objects from past shows that YOU have contributed: Goering's Gun, Lewis & Clark's Cane, an Anti-Slavery Flag, Jean Lafitte's Spyglass and a Revolutionary War Prison Letter. Please include the key facts you already know, and what you hope to learn from our investigation. The information you provide will be used for production research purposes only. We will contact you if we are interested in learning more about your story. For more information go to here. Watch our Submit Your Story video here.
MASTERPIECE™
The Complete Jane Austen 'Pride and Prejudice' airs Sundays, February 10-24 at 10 pm on WPBT/Channel 2
With five daughters, no sons and an entailed estate, the elder Bennets are in dire straits as they try to arrange advantageous marriages. Wedding bells ring three times, but the path to true love is tortuous indeed. Colin Firth (Bridget Jones films) is Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle (The Coast of Utopia) is Elizabeth Bennet in the definitive adaptation of the most-loved of all Austen novels.
A Four-Part Series Explores Roots, Race and Identity Through the Ancestry of Remarkable Individuals, Including Maya Angelou, Bliss Broyard, Don Cheadle, Morgan Freeman, Peter Gomes, Kathleen Henderson, Linda Johnson Rice, Tom Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Chris Rock and Tina Turner –
“These stories of adversity, sacrifice, achievement and empowerment transcend the realm of color with a universal resonance.” – Henry Louis Gates Jr., series host and participant
Building on the widespread acclaim of AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES (2006) and OPRAH’S ROOTS (2007), AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 will again journey deep into the African-American experience to reveal the triumphs and tragedies within the family histories of an all-new group of remarkable participants. Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. returns as series host, guiding genealogical investigations down through the 20th century, Reconstruction, slavery and early U.S. history, and presenting cutting-edge genetic analysis that locates participants’ ancestors in Africa, Europe and America. AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 airs Wednesdays, February 6-13, 2008, 9:00-11:00 p.m. pn WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
“CLICK & CLACK’S AS THE WRENCH TURNS” LAUNCHES IN SUMMER 2008
FIRST-EVER ANIMATED PRIMETIME SERIES INSPIRED BY NPR’S POPULAR “CAR TALK”
PBS confirmed today the title of its first-ever animated primetime series, a spin-off of Tom and Ray Magliozzi’s hit NPR show “Car Talk.” Tom and Ray announced the title on their Saturday, January 26 program, saying they had lured submissions with the misleading promise of everlasting fame.
CLICK & CLACK’S AS THE WRENCH TURNS will premiere in summer 2008 on PBS. The program takes off from the hit NPR show and follows the “on- and off-air” escapades of Tom and Ray Magliozzi (known to their listeners as “Click and Clack,” the Tappet brothers) as they try to fix cars, fend off disgruntled customers and seek out increasingly creative ways to goof off.
PRINCE AMONG SLAVES airs February 4 at 10pm on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
By Co- Executive Producer Michael Wolfe Four years in the making, PRINCE AMONG SLAVES explores the dramatic story of a young African general slated to rule a nation larger than the Thirteen Colonies, who instead was captured during battle in 1788 and sold into slavery in Mississippi.
He served on a single plantation in Natchez for almost 40 years, before negotiating his freedom with the U.S. State Department and the White House in 1828.
This amazing piece of American history is perhaps the best detailed
biography of an enslaved African in our annals, yet it has fallen out
of the history books, until now.
The Check, Please! South Florida crew made an appearance at the annual Great Taste of the Grove festival this past weekend. That's where local foodies converged to sample dishes from Coconut Grove's trendy restaurants. The offerings ranged from a fresh, spicy ceviche, to Cajun-style jerk chicken, to a sophisticated lobster croquette. And the colorful fun-seekers at the event were as diverse as the menu.
We were there to capture some 'video auditions' from those interested in snagging a spot as a guest food critic on an upcoming episode of Check, Please! South Florida. Once on-camera, these aspiring reviewers were asked to describe their favorite South Florida restaurants. They raved about all kinds of local eateries, from a restaurant that offers Italian dishes with a Cuban twist, to an ultra-affordable taco joint that's become a popular hangout for college students, to a great spot for authentic, moderately-priced Thai cuisine. When asked about the most important aspects of a dining experience, they rattled off the list: first-rate food, impeccable service, and a great atmosphere. For at least one dining enthusiast, the company around the table was as crucial as the meal. Surprisingly, price did not seem to be a factor for most.
We want to know what YOU think. Visit us at www.checkpleasefl.com, download an application and recommend your favorite restaurants. Remember to include those that would appeal to both spendthrifts and penny-pinchers. That will increase your chances of being selected as an amateur restaurant reviewer on a future show.
In the meantime, don't forget to catch the premiere of Check, Please! South Florida during the last week of January: Monday through Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 2. We'll see you then!
The assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, left a psychic wound on America that remains today. Few Americans then or now accept that a lone, inconsequential gunman could bring down a president and alter history. That event gave rise to a culture of conspiracy that points to sinister forces at work in the shadows. This film features interviews with authors Norman Mailer and Edward J. Epstein, politician Gary Hart, news anchor Dan Rather, activist Tom Hayden, attorney Mark Lane and others. Drawing upon these interviews and rarely seen archival footage, “Oswald’s Ghost” takes a fresh look at Kennedy’s assassination, the public’s reaction to the tragedy and the government investigations that led to a widespread loss of trust in the institutions that govern American society. AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: Oswald’s Ghost airs Monday, January 14 at 9:00 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
MASTERPIECE™ kicks off the long awaited Complete Jane Austen with 'Persuasion' on Sunday, January 13, at 10 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
Sally Hawkins ("Little Britain") appears as Anne Elliot, destined for spinsterhood at age 27 after being persuaded eight years earlier to refuse the proposal of dashing Captain Wentworth (Rupert Penry-Jones, "Casanova"). Then chance brings them together again. While her better days are past, his are definitely ahead as he's now rich and free to play the field among eligible young beauties. Anthony Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") co-stars as Anne's spendthrift father.
The stories of Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson headline this episode about the formative years of late-night television. Merv Griffin also emerges as a key player on the late-night scene. (His interview for PIONEERS was his last before passing away.) Regis Philbin offers revelations about his years as a late-night sidekick (to Joey Bishop). Dick Cavett and Arsenio Hall also discuss their years in the mix, and Sigourney Weaver offers personal details about her father, Pat — the inventor of “Tonight.” The episode is peppered with dozens of never-before-seen clips, including Johnny Carson performing in his early 20s. PIONEERS OF TELEVISION continues with Late Night premiering on Wednesday, January 9 at 10 p.m.on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
REAL SCIENCE, REAL LIFE CONVERGE IN CURIOUS, A NEW SERIES THAT TAKES VIEWERS INSIDE BRAIN CENTERS OF INNOVATION TO WITNESS BREAKTHROUGHS THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD Two Documentaries Follow Researchers Working On A Revolutionary Cancer Drug, An “Artificial Leaf” That Uses Sunlight To Produce Earth-Friendly Fuel And Other Cutting-Edge Concepts
Mark Davis was enjoying a successful career as a chemical engineer – until his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. After chemotherapy treatments compromised her immune system and made her gravely ill, she insisted to her husband, “There’s got to be a better way – you can fix this.” Davis didn’t think he could. “Cancer – what did I know about it?” he wondered. “It was way out of my comfort zone from a scientific point of view.” Ultimately, he rose to that very personal challenge, and 10 years later, the first drops of IT-101, a revolutionary nanoparticle drug he invented, were injected into the first human, Ray Natha. A terminal cancer patient, Natha was expected to live only a few months, but IT-101 reversed that grim prognosis and, today, more than a year later, his cancer remains stable. In addition to his dramatic improvement, Natha experienced virtually no side effects during the drug trial. While Davis focuses his efforts on human survival, other researchers are trying to save planet Earth. Spurred by the looming energy crisis, Nathan Lewis and Sossina Haile are working to invent a new kind of fuel that uses the sun to power the planet. They are attempting to produce a prototype for a truly alternative fuel source – an artificial leaf that emulates natural photosynthesis, converting solar energy into a usable, clean chemical fuel. They hope their pioneering solar cell and fuel cell technologies will eventually end our dependence on petroleum and provide an energy source that won’t pollute our planet. Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) make up the cast of CURIOUS, premiering in Miami on Tuesdays, January 8 and 15 at 9 p.m.
MySpace. YouTube. Facebook. Nearly every teen in America is on the Internet every day, socializing with friends and strangers alike, "trying on" identities, and building a virtual profile of themselves--one that many kids insist is a more honest depiction of who they really are than the person they portray at home or in school.
In "Growing Up Online," FRONTLINE peers inside the world of this cyber-savvy generation through the eyes of teens and their parents, who often find themselves on opposite sides of a new digital divide. From cyber bullying to instant "Internet fame," to the specter of online sexual predators, FRONTLINE producer Rachel Dretzin investigates the risks, realities and misconceptions of teenage self-expression on the World Wide Web.
Experience One of the Legendary Tenor’s Greatest Concerts in PAVAROTTI IN CENTRAL PARK
Celebrate the life of legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti in the once-in-a-lifetime concert special PAVAROTTI IN CENTRAL PARK. Captured at the height of Pavarotti’s immense popularity, this is one of the master’s most triumphant and memorable performances.
Recorded live in New York City’s Central Park on June 26, 1993, before an audience of 500,000 adoring fans, and backed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Pavarotti dazzles the crowd with a virtuoso performance of some of the greatest opera arias of all time. Included in this special are “Quando le sere al placido” from Verdi’s Luisa Miller; “Fra poco a me ricovero” from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor; “Il lamento di Federico” from Cilea’s L’arlesiana; and “La Girometa” by Sibella.
Pavarotti is also joined by renowned Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli for a performance of “Act III prelude” from La Traviata and “Occi de fata” by Donza. He finishes the concert with a list of his all-time classics, including “Recondita Armonia” and “E lucevan de stelle” from Puccini’s Tosca, “O sole mio,” and, as a rousing encore, Pavarotti’s signature aria, “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot.
One of the most unforgettable concerts in Luciano Pavarotti’s enormously successful career, PAVAROTTI IN CENTRAL PARK, airing Thursday, January 3 at 9:00 p.m., shows the master of modern opera at his absolute finest.
Tragic Life of the World’s Greatest Opera Singer Explored in MARIA CALLAS: LIVING AND DYING FOR THE ART OF LOVE
“To be believable vocally, as an actress, as a style and technique, and then to have the charisma for the public. I think that is what Maria did for the theatre. She creates a new dimension..” - Placido Domingo, composer and tenor
Perhaps the greatest opera singer of all time, Maria Callas’ life was defined by her immense voice and her titanic heartbreak—rejected by her true love, Callas’ remarkable talent slipped away, and she died young and alone.
Callas’ tragic life is chronicled in vivid detail in the new American Public Television-distributed special MARIA CALLAS: LIVING AND DYING FOR THE ART OF LOVE, an intimate, revealing biography of one of the world’s greatest musical talents.
Famed for both her legendary, unique voice and majestic stage presence, Callas’ life paralleled that of her most famous role, in Puccini’s Tosca. Her scandalous affair with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis produced a child that died shortly after birth. Onassis’ various affairs and eventual marriage to Jackie Kennedy devastated Callas and diminished her stage performances; heartbroken, she died in Paris in 1953.
MARIA CALLAS: LIVING AND DYING FOR THE ART OF LOVE, airing on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami on Thursday, January 3 at 8:00 p.m., features interviews with fellow opera stars, such as Tito Gobbi (her Scarpia in numerous productions of Tosca), Placido Domingo and Grace Bumbry, as well as director Franco Zefferilli, opera director John Copley and actress Judi Dench, all sharing their memories of Callas.
Including clips of interviews with Callas, rare archival footage and segments of stunning arias from her many classic shows, MARIA CALLAS: LIVING AND DYING FOR THE ART OF LOVE is a memorable look back at a life full of remarkable performances and heartbreaking tragedy.
WORDS AND MUSIC BY JERRY HERMAN airs Tuesday, January 1, at 9:30 p.m. on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
– Documentary Explores Life and Work of Legendary Broadway Composer/Lyricist and University of Miami Alum, Jerry Herman –
“When they passed out talent,” Broadway star Carol Channing says of composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, “Jerry stood in line twice.” Herman wrote the words and music for some of the greatest Broadway musicals ever mounted, including Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage aux Folles. WORDS AND MUSIC BY JERRY HERMAN, airing Tuesday, January 1, at 9:30 p.m., uses insightful on-camera interviews, behind-the-scenes rehearsal sessions, rare photographs and never-before-seen archival footage of original Broadway performances to create a warm, humorous and moving portrait of a living theater legend.
– Documentary Follows 350 Years of Jewish American History, From the First Settlement in the 17th Century to the Present, and Explores the Experience of Immigration and Assimilation –
THE JEWISH AMERICANS, a three-part documentary series written and directed by the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker David Grubin, examines the struggle of a tiny minority to make its way into the American mainstream. While the story of Jewish life in America is emblematic of the American immigrant story, it is also a unique story of ongoing discrimination and stereotyping coupled with some of the most remarkable accomplishments in American history, the arts, commerce, science and academia. The programs air on WPBT/Channel2 in Miami, Wednesdays, January 9-23, beginning at 9:00 p.m. each week.
Continuing its time-honored holiday tradition, GREAT PERFORMANCES returns to the stately splendor of Vienna’s Musikverein for its 24th annual New Year’s Day celebration with the Vienna Philharmonic. Georges Prêtre leads the world-renowned orchestra in a selection of buoyant Strauss family waltzes. Also featured are festive ballets danced by the Vienna State Opera Ballet and a special appearance of the elegant and famous Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School.
GREAT PERFORMANCES: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2008 Tuesday, January 1, 2008, 8:00-9:30 p.m
A biography of America’s seventh president, ANDREW JACKSON: GOOD, EVIL AND THE PRESIDENCY explores whether Americans should celebrate Jackson or apologize for him. Viewers discover that Jackson fought in the Revolutionary War when he was 13 years old and that he used the skills learned in battle to kill a man over a gambling debt; that Jackson led the American army to the most surprising victory in its history in the Battle of New Orleans, but that he also launched an unauthorized invasion of Florida; that Jackson was the first great champion of the common white man and owned more than a hundred black Americans; that Jackson dramatically expanded the United States and did so by brutally wresting vast regions of the south from Native Americans; that Jackson, in one of the boldest political strokes in history, founded the Democratic Party, yet was viewed by his enemies as an American Napoleon. The film concludes with the words of Jackson’s first biographer, James Parton: “Andrew Jackson was a patriot, and a traitor. He was the greatest of generals, and wholly ignorant of the art of war. He was the most candid of men, and capable of the profoundest dissimulation. He was a democratic autocrat, an urbane savage, an atrocious saint.” Martin Sheen narrates. ANDREW JACKSON: GOOD, EVIL AND THE PRESIDENCY airs Wednesday, January 2, at 9:00 on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
Legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical Company — which premiered in 1970 with a book by George Furth and a cast including Broadway luminaries Dean Jones (later replaced by Larry Kert), Elaine Stritch and Donna McKechnie — has acquired generations of new fans through various new productions as well as a Broadway revival in 1995. Centering on Bobby, a confirmed bachelor celebrating his 35th birthday with his 10 closest friends (who also happen to be five couples), Company culminates in Bobby’s transformation from unattached swinger to tentative monogamist. Acclaimed director John Doyle, noted for his unconventional adaptation of Sweeney Todd in 2005 (the actors double as orchestra musicians), took a similar approach to Company ’s third turn on the Broadway stage in 2006, getting rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. Recorded at the end of its Tony-winning run as “Best Revival” in the 2006-07 season, Company comes to television for the first time, starring Raúl Esparza in the role of Bobby, and featuring all of the score’s Sondheim classics, including “Another Hundred People,” “The Ladies Who Lunch” and “Being Alive.” In preparation for this Great Performances special in February and to take advantage of the recent release of another Sondheim classic, we offer a review of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street from WPBT's Nicole Letaw (pictured with some unidentified Nicole groupie).
Thinking about seeing Sweeney Todd?
Sweeney Todd may have only been number five at the box office and merely raked in $9.35 million dollars on its opening weekend, but in my eyes it’s the best movie of the year and not just because Johnny Depp is in it… well maybe that’s part of the reason. Did the goriness of a demon barber slitting his customers’ throats keep movie watchers away for the holidays? It's a Wonderful Live this isn't. But as word gets out of what a magnificent movie/musical it truly is… I am sure more people will be interested in it once the holiday glow has faded.
PBS’ PIONEERS OF TELEVISION FEATURES FOUR NEW ONE-HOUR SPECIALS ON THE INNOVATORS OF TELEVISION SITCOMS, LATE NIGHT, VARIETY AND GAME SHOWS PREMIERING ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2008 AT 8 PM ON WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami
Landmark Documentary Tells Fascinating Stories, Features Never-Before-Seen Images and Showcases Timeless Clips
Nearly 100 stars from television’s formative years bring their stories to PBS in a revealing four-part documentary series, PIONEERS OF TELEVISION, airing Wednesdays, January 2-23, at 8:00 p.m. Each of the new one-hour episodes focuses on a different genre: sitcoms, late night, variety and game shows. Melding compelling new HD interviews with irresistible archival clips, PIONEERS OF TELEVISION offers a fresh take on television’s first celebrities, including Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Andy Griffith, Betty White, Regis Philbin, Phyllis Diller, Dick Cavett, Tony Orlando, Marlo Thomas, Jonathan Winters, Ed McMahon, Bob Barker, Tommy Smothers and the late Merv Griffin, among others.These landmark one-hour specials tell fascinating stories, reveal never-before-seen images and showcase timeless clips that still entertain decades later. The PIONEERS OF TELEVISION series covers:
• “Sitcoms” (Wednesday, January 2, 8:00 p.m. )--This episode focuses on five key sitcoms: “I Love Lucy,” “The Honeymooners,” “Make Room for Daddy,” “The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” The last remaining Honeymooner, Joyce Randolph, offers surprising insights into the mind of Jackie
Gleason. Similarly, Marlo Thomas speaks candidly about her father, Danny. Andy Griffith offers forceful opinions about the people and techniques that made his show work. In a rare occurrence, both Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke recount their years on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” Hundreds of episodes were culled for the most entertaining clips — including one particularly side-splitting bit by Don Knotts.
New York Philharmonic music director Lorin Maazel conducts the orchestra in a program of romantic violin showpieces featuring Joshua Bell. The annual New Year’s Eve gala concert, live from Avery Fisher Hall, this year includes several arrangements for violin and orchestra: Kreisler’s “Liebesleid” and “Liebesfreud,” Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, Ravel’s “Tzigane” and Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” The orchestra will also perform Dukas’ “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and Ravel’s “Bolero.” Soprano Renée Fleming hosts.
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER: New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve: Joshua Bell's Romantic Violin airs Monday, December 31 at 8:00 p.m.
This January, MASTERPIECE THEATRE will introduce a new look, new scheduling, and the first of three new hosts for 2008. Gillian Anderson, well known to MASTERPIECE fans for her Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated performance as Lady Dedlock in Bleak House, will make her debut as the host of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC on The Complete Jane Austen, the highly anticipated showcase of all six of Austen's novels, premiering Sunday, January 13 on WPBT/Channel 2 in Miami.
"Gillian is the perfect choice to represent the new MASTERPIECE CLASSIC," says executive producer Rebecca Eaton. "Through Bleak House, we learned just how passionate she is about the kind of programming we offer. And she's incredibly versatile: How many other actors would choose to go from The X-Files to Charles Dickens?"
"I am a huge supporter of MASTERPIECE THEATRE and the quality and integrity of its programming," said Anderson. "And if my hosting the first season brings a new generation of viewers to the classics, then I'm proud to be a part of it."
A new MASTERPIECE CLASSIC host is not the only change coming to the series in January. Viewers can look forward to a schedule that breaks the year into three "seasons," each with its own host, stunning graphics, and fresh take on the series' famous theme music. In winter and spring, MASTERPIECE CLASSIC will feature signature period dramas. In summer, MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! will present the best British mysteries, and in fall, MASTERPIECE CONTEMPORARY will show dramas set in modern times.
"Our viewers told us that they miss having a host to lead them into the programs," said Eaton. "In 2008, we're going a step further, bringing on three hosts to the series--each with a true appreciation for the genre they represent. We'll also introduce an elegant new on-air look, a redesigned feature-rich website, and a schedule that will help make our content easier to find. What won't change is the caliber of our programming."
Anderson will present the ten programs in the first MASTERPIECE CLASSIC season, including adaptations of all six of Austen's novels plus a new biopic; Cranford, a three-part miniseries starring Judi Dench; My Boy Jack, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Kim Cattrall; and a new adaptation of A Room with a View by Andrew Davies.
Hosts for MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! and MASTERPIECE CONTEMPORARY will be announced in 2008.
Courtesy of Channel 2's video sharing site, uVu, you can take a look at some preview clips of some the programs coming up in early 2008, just click on the program titles to take a look.
African American Lives 2 The critically acclaimed PBS broadcasts AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES (2006) and OPRAH'S ROOTS (2007) shone a national spotlight on the powerful process of discovering one's family history. In February 2008 on PBS, Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. will guide an all-new group — poet Maya Angelou, actor Morgan Freeman, theologian Peter Gomes, publisher Linda Johnson Rice, athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, radio host Tom Joyner and rock 'n' roll legend Tina Turner — on a journey to discover their ancestry in AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2. The new four-part series will draw on DNA analysis, genealogical research and family oral tradition to trace the lineages of the participants down through U.S. history and back to Africa.
Carrier CARRIER is a character-driven, edge-of-your-seat, nonfiction drama and a once-in-a-lifetime total immersion in the high-stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. CARRIER follows a core group of characters aboard the USS Nimitz, from the admiral of the fleet to the fighter pilots to the scrubs, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror.
The USS Nimitz is 24 stories high, three football fields long and carries 5,300 navy personnel and 85 military aircraft. Filmed from May to November 2005, nearly 2,000 hours of high-definition video were captured aboard the ship during a full six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf, of which three months were spent in combat in support of the ground troops. For the first time, a television series takes a raw and honest look at the Navy’s role in this controversial war.
This year, MASTERPIECE THEATRE® will begin its thirty-seventh year of programming on Channel 2 in Miami. During its storied history—the longest-running primetime drama in American television—the producers have remained steadfast in their commitment to bring you the best in literature-based drama, mysteries filled with eclectic characters, and groundbreaking contemporary works.
As we begin 2008, you’ll notice that we have transformed the look, the presentation, and the scheduling of the venerable MASTERPIECE. This is all designed to make the content more exciting and accessible. And, as part of the restyling, the producers have shortened the name simply to “MASTERPIECE.” Having talked with a number viewers in cities across America to gain their ideas for transforming the show, they've learned that calling themselves MASTERPIECE would send a signal that they are expanding the programming, and that’s exactly what they are doing.
One of the most important changes is the grouping of shows into three themed collections or “seasons.” Introduced by a host, each will be presented with stunning new graphics and a fresh interpretation of the famous theme music. In winter and spring, MASTERPIECE CLASSIC will feature beloved, signature period dramas like Bleak House, Jane Eyre and The Complete Jane Austen. In summer, MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!® will continue to present the best British mysteries such as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Miss Marple. And in fall, MASTERPIECE CONTEMPORARY will feature dramas set in today’s world such as the popular Reckless, the acclaimed White Teeth, and our Emmy-award-winning Prime Suspect.
Charming and Gifted TV Host, Mike Douglas, Remembered in Nostalgic Public Television Special
“Before there was Oprah or Dr. Phil or Ellen, or any of these people, there was Mike Douglas.” - Jay Leno, remembering Mike Douglas on The Tonight Show
Legendary daytime talk show host Mike Douglas influenced many of today’s biggest stars, including Barbara Walters, Jay Leno, Regis Philbin, and Rosie O’Donnell, among many others. He ruled daytime talk from 1961 to 1982, reaching as many as 15 million people with a single show and averaging an astounding seven million viewers a day. Airing on Friday, November 30 at 3 p.m., a new public television special, MIKE DOUGLAS – MOMENTS AND MEMORIES, takes a look back at Douglas’ tenure as talk-show-host extraordinaire. The program, unlocks amazing performances and interviews from the show’s vaults, including Tiger
